Ducks V.S. Wild= End Of Hockey???… I Think NOT*, More Like = Inspiration!..

While others will turn off their TVs in favour of warmer weather, I plan on watching 2 teams who have fought, battled, and crawled with everything they had to be where they are now….I couldn’t be happier for the Wild and the Ducks!

BUT, I really do wish people would stop calling these teams pure flukes, as these teams truly show the ultimate definition of the word T-E-A-M!

Great coaching, exciting offensive stars, reliable defencemen, consistent goaltending, and believing in each other are trademarks of both squads….

Both had 95 points and if you’re a TRUE fan of the game, how can you not be intrigued by the opportunity that has presented itself for Paul Kariya, Steve Rucchin, Steve Thomas, and the Ducks. Not to mention the whole Wild team which is mostly consisted of players other teams took as worthless.

With the Flyers in mind, we’ll soon learn just how banged and roughed up these competitors are….

-On paper, the Mighty Ones appear to have the edge in depth.

-But then again it is extremly hard to go against a team that is 6-0 when facing elimination this spring.

-And on where it truly counts(heart, desire, determination, and team work). How can one question either team?…

*My Prediction: I’ll take Wild in 7, and soon enough ready to see the parade for the good old, “Lord Lemaire’s Cup!”

W.C.

36 Responses to Ducks V.S. Wild= End Of Hockey???… I Think NOT*, More Like = Inspiration!..

I realize I risk getting struck down by Lightning when I say this, but I agree with Leafy here. For some reason I love watching the Minnesota team, probally because, as most Americans do, I love an underdog. The other series I can take it or leave because it looks like it will be played between the two blue lines.

I have to disagree here with your prediction. I am saying Ducks in 6. The Wild looked WAY too banged up last night. Though they have pretty good depth, the Ducks have had more time off this playoffs and are the best rested/least injured team. Also it is crazy right now to bet against Gigure. The man has gone mad!

That should be one hell of a series. I’m assuming everyone who says the Wild play a tight trapping system has never watched them play, b/c it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yeah, they play tough team defense, but they play aggressive defense, which leads to more scoring chances than a trap, and if not, at least more excitement. Teams average like 28 shots against them. They’re just good at recovering and limiting the quality of the shots.

But anyways, it’ll be a great series. I love how everyone who was bitching that the top teams were hogging all the talent and buying all the players, creating an imbalance in the league that led to teams like Anaheim, Tampa, and Minnesota being unable to compete are now bitching that those teams are succeeding and the big market teams are knocked out.

I thought the Wild were a boring, trap playing team. And I honestly didn’t bother watching any of their first 6 games against Colorado because of that. I watched game 7 because it was game 7 and I liked them…but the Vancouver series..wow they can skate..their actually a really nice team to watch, and they seem to be able to score almost anytime they want to. They’re fast, young, and have alot more scoring skill than I thought they did.

I’m deffinately pleasantly surprised at how they’ve played, and was completely entertained by them playing Vancouver.

The Ducks I don’t care for. They beat out Dallas, so I’ll hate them for that, but other than that I just don’t find them interesting. The only fun part about watching them this year as wondering if they could sweep Detroit or beat Dallas, and now that they did it, who really cares about them? They have boring players, and I hate Kariya.

The worst possible thing for hockey could come to pass should Minnesota and New Jersey meet in the Stanley Cup Finals. I wont bother wasting my time watching that defense fest. Itd be too much fun to watch 4 players skating in their respective defensive zones waiting for the single puck carrier to bring the puck up.

I think it is great that the playoffs this year allow fans of playoff teams to have a legitamte hope. Look at baseball, it is always the Yankees, Yankees, and Yankees (with last year as an exception). By having the underdogs make it far, you give an entire new fan base a reason to believe. Who wants to see Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, etc. year in and year out (well maybe the fans of those two cities). Doesn’t it give the league a bit more of realism that acutally a team from somewhere other than the usual suspects gets a shot at the top prize? Good for Minnesota and Anaheim – they outplayed their opponents and are very deserving. They didn’t sneak into the conference finals like some other teams have in the past. Who knows, maybe that expansion team of veterans up in Broadway might get a sniff of success next year…………….NOT!!!

That’s a point I brought up to a friend today. The Wild have faced a really hot goalie in only to be honest, 2 games, games 3 and 4 of the Colorado series, and what happened? They were shut down. If Giguere continues his quest for the Conn Smythe, Minnesota could all of a sudden be missing the superstar talent up front that outside of Gaborik, they don’t really have. Of course, with the way Fernadez/Roloson have been playing, Anaheim won’t have any easy time scoring either. I agree, it will most likely be a lower scoring series, with a few OT games. Giguere will be the difference. Ducks in 7

Excellent article, when you seeing two teams like that who beaten the shit out of 1-4 clubs in the western conference, you can just being happy for them. They are a bunch of “nowhere”; especially for the Wilds, they work hard and is a success story. Unfortunately, one of these two teams will be eliminate and I think that will be the Ducks.

Well, this is nice for a change actually, but it will be hard for both teams to repeat thier success again, not so much regular season, but playoff success. Things have to be clicking for you. At the same time I dont expect these teams to totally fall off, but you never know. I predict the Ducks in 7.

HOWEVER, this is VERY bad for the game of Hockey, as far as finance goes.

A lot of people may not like the style of play that the Ducks and Wild play, But the bottom line is, it works. I said from the beginning of the playoffs that the smaller teams would do some damage this playoffs. And why is that…….not because I’m a pyschic….I don’t know Miss Cleo nor am I the reincarnate of Nostradamus. I’ve said before there is a mold starting to be formed for playoff success. Quick, fast, and resilient combined with a aggressive counterattack trap.

Will you other Flyers fans now open your eyes and see.

Do the Wild or the Ducks have a Handzus, Primeau, Leclair, Therien, or Brashear type on there team???

Nope don’t think SO!!!! And there in the Conference Finals and we’re out golfing. Speed kills in this new league we call the NHL. When the Flyers get faster, then we’ll be a real cup contender.

The Wild will probably make it next year. The Ducks won’t. Ducks are really, really not THAT good. Giguere got hot at the right time, but Dallas began to cool to him at the end of the series. He’s very beatable, and his hot streak might be over right now. Plus look at the rest of the team. Anyone you really think on there that can put up good enough numbers all year to get them in the playoffs again? Steve Thomas and Oates are very close to the end of their careers, and would be 4th line gritty veterans on anyother team right now. Kariya is sort of over rated. Sure, he can put up alright numbers, which have slipped anyway..but he’s not a winner…

How come nobody thinks that the Ducks bought their team?? They got quite a few players this year. is it only they dont get harrased because they …actually i dont know why they dont get harrased.. ahh well

lets go ottawa!!!

p.s- did anyone realize that we cant post the great article about the “stanley cup pattern” anymore.. im gonna miss that article..and its all those Duck’s fault. taking out the wings…

One thing that is left out by all. When the off season started, and Adam Oates left Philly and signed with the Ducks, every one called him a money hungry guy who values money more then the cup. Well look who is laughing now.

Congratulations Leaf_Expert. You wrote something I agree with. I have to say, since you’ve returned you have been enjoyable. I have to say the Wild and Ducks will be a great series. So will the Devs/Sens. Two very similar teams who are both hungry to get to the finals. The Sens still have something to prove and the Devils want to erase what happened last year. Only way to do that is to win the cup. Everyone shutting off their TVs and doing other things are disappointed/jealous their teams didn’t make it this far.

You really dont know much about the Ducks organizational depth do you?…they have more depth than LA, San Jose, Edmonton, Phoenix…so thus they will probably make the playoffs..thats all that were talking about…im not saying they will get to the western conference finals next year…

Ducks+Wild+Sens in Conference Finals=No Salary Cap. Goodenow already told Bettmen that he doesnt think a cap is necessary because of these teams with the lowest salaries making their respective Conference Finals…wow what a genious…

This will definately be a fun series to watch. Both of these teams are fast as hell, and are very hungry. They also now have the knowledge on how to win against the best teams in the league and can take that experience into this series with them. My prediction is minnesota in 6, unless anaheim can score a couple game winners off the skate of the wild players like they did against dallas. LUCKY BAS**RDS!

Sorry, if you would have noticed in my other replies, I love Primeau and I think out of all the guys I mentioned, he the one we can afford to keep. I should have actually said, that TOO many of these types slows down your team, makes your system less inefective, and hampers your lines scoring chances off the rush. Which you see the WIld and Duck types living off of.

Just a bit of fatigue for Minny in game 1. They played alot of hockey in a short period of time. Damn there alot faster then i gave them credit for and they actually capitalize on most of there chances. A rested wild team will make for a better game two. Be hard to beat Giguere though.

Well, I’ve never once said neither team is a fluke. But, this is terrible hockey to watch, and it’s terrible for the game of hockey. I’m very happy that Oates and Thomas are going to get a shot at a Cup. Those two deserve one. That’s a ridiculous statement that “Minnesota is an aggresive team” whoever stated that. These two not only don’t put the puck in the net, they don’t hit. You can tell that the people that are excited about this series are soccer fans. That’s exactly what this sport is becoming, soccer. This is just awful for the game, one cinderella too many. Leaf_Expert, I’m a TRUE fan of the game, don’t ever tell me that I’m not, so in saying that, I’m NOT intrigued by these two teams, rather, bored out of my mind watching them. 5 periods to score one f’n goal, what the F**K is that??? I will commend both these teams(as I have before, and will continue to do with their success), but, all they’re doing to working the NHL, and showing us all how much things HAVEN’T changed. They clutch and grab with the best of them, and the NHL needs to look at this problem and fix it once and for all, it’s getting pathetic!